Mary Stevenson Thomas

Biography

Born in Oswego, New York ca. 1869

The town of Waterville, KS was started in 1867 and the high school opened a few years after that.Mary graduated in 1880.

Marriage

The following is Mary’s wedding write up, which appeared in the Blue Rapids

Times of March 25, 1880:

 "Married--at the residence of the bride's parents, Friday, March 19 by Rev.

R. Wake, Mr. Chester J. Thomas to Miss Mary Stevenson.  A reception was tendered them the same evening.  Among the large number present the following were noted:  Geo. W. Winans & Lady, C. E. Scouten & Lady, Ed Choate & Lady, F. P. Thorne & Lady, Mrs. Mills, Col. W. W. Smith, Byron Roplee, Wm. McFadden, Dr. W. J. Raynor, T. S. Burtis and Misses Olive Thompson, Mollie Robbins, Anna Campbell, Sophie Kunz, Lillian Winterbollon, Mary Thomas.  The presents were numerous and of a valuable character.

Games, music, &c, were the amusements of the evening, which were enjoyed by all till a late hour."

(Interesting notes--Byron Roplee & Mary Thomas, who were mentioned as guests, were married in Dec. 1880.  Also, Miss Olive Thompson, mentioned as a guest, was in the forefront of arts and culture in Waterville.  She was from a wealthy banking family.)

Lawrence, Kansas

In University of Kansas records, it shows Mary Stevenson Thomas was admitted to the University of Kansas on October 24, 1908, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree on June 7, 1916.  If these dates are correct, she entered KU at approximately age 48, and graduated at approximately age 56.  Because Mrs. Thomas was apparently a part-time student, she was unable to be located among students who appear in yearbooks of the University issued from 1908 through 1917.

In the Lawrence, Kansas City Directories, Mary S. Thomas is listed as follows:

1913/14Mrs. Mary Thomas, student of University of Kansas, boarding at 1217 Tennessee

1917Mrs. Mary S. Thomas, resident of 1611 Tennessee

1919Mrs. Mary S. Thomas, Christian Scientist, 5 Fraternal Aid Union building, rooms [at] 1345 Tennessee

1923Mrs. Mary Thomas, resident of 1201 Tennessee

1925Mrs. Mary S. (widow of Chester) Thomas, 1201 Tennessee

1927/28Mrs. Mary S. Thomas, 1201 Tennessee

1929/30Mrs. Mary S. Thomas, 1201 Tennessee

1920 Census lists her as living at 1400 Ohio in Lawrence, KS.  The occupation listed is Practitioner, Christian Science [although the writing is extremely hard to read].  By 1925 the address of 1201 Tennessee St. in Lawrence, Kansas appears.  This address for Mary remains at 1201 Tennessee until 1948.

Death

According to Douglas County probate records, Mary S. Thomas died on July 3, 1941.  In her will, she bequeathed a Steinway upright piano to the city of Waterville for educational purposes, and bequeathed her holdings of music and music literature to the University of Kansas Music Department.  The terms of her will also established a fund for the benefit of the KU Music Department (to included scholarships for pupils in the school of music) and the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Topeka, Kansas.  Mrs. Thomas was survived by a number of nieces and nephews.  Nephews named in her will were Harry G. Stevenson, Barton Stevenson and George R. Stevenson all of Kansas City, Missouri.  Also listed were James Stevenson and Charles Stevenson, both of Waterville, Kansas.

Blue Rapids Times of July 10, 1941:

 "Friends here will be sorry to learn of the death of Mrs. Mary Thomas, a sister of the late Mrs. Geo. Hall of Waterville.  Mrs. Thomas died just a week to the day later than her sister."

 (Mary's sister, Mrs. Geo. Hall, married a Waterville banker and had one of the finest homes in the town, still standing and quite a jewel.)

Stories

Glee Club Performance

Blue Rapids Times of Feb. 2, 1888:

 "The small audience that gathered in the Opera House on Friday evening last, to listen to the concert by the "Kansas Glee Club" were highly entertained. The Glee Club was composed of members of Prof. Evans' vocal class at Waterville, and the excellent manner in which they rendered the solos, duetts, quartetts and choruses was a strong recommendation of the Professor's ability as a music teacher.  The company was composed of the following Watervillians:  Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Burtis, Mrs. Mary Thomas, Frank

Brooks and Misses Ollie Thompson and Mamie Johnston."

 (Note the 1888 spelling of duets & quartets)

Phone interview.  Saturday, March 31, 2001.  9:00 PM

A Marc Lamoureax from Waterville, Kansas called regarding the letter to the editor in the Telegraph newspaper requesting information about Mary Stevenson Thomas.

            “Our farm joined their farm.  Stevenson’s had a pretty sizable farm west of ours.  A place called Kauhn [pronounced coon] Creek has lots of big trees.  It is referred to as Stevenson’s Grove.  It has a big basin with springs.  They added a diving board and a tree swing for summer.  In the winter it would freeze 8-10 inches thick.  They would cut the ice and put it in the icehouse until it was needed in the summer

Her family also had a dry goods store Her brother Jim ran the farm.  Her brother Jim was a soldier in the Spanish American War 1898.

He doesn’t remember her attending the alumni banquets, but is sure she probably was there.  ‘We turn out real good for the alumni banquets’. There are only about 700 of us in the town and usually 100-150 turn out for the banquets.”

A niece was named after her – Mary Stevenson – the niece’s first husband’s name was Keintz They lived in Tucson (Mary, the niece … died just a few years ago). The niece’s second husband’s name was Diamond. The niece did some work with the Yaki Indians

Misc. Information

MSNC Journal of Proceedings, Membership Roll lists Mary as member 1925, 1928-1936

MTNA Proceedings, Membership Roll lists Mary as a member 1912-1913, 1932, 1936-1940

Picture

Bibliography of Sources

Bibliography of Sources

1920 Federal Census

MSNC Journal of Proceedings, Membership Roll, 1925, 1928-1936

MTNA Proceedings, Membership Roll, 1912-1913, 1932, 1936-1940

Lawrence, Kansas City Directories

Douglas County Probate Records

Blue Rapids Times, Blue Rapids Kansas, March 25, 1880

Blue Rapids Times, Blue Rapids Kansas, February 2, 1888

Blue Rapids Times, Blue Rapids Kansas, July 10, 1941